Miyazaki for Kids: So Much Better Than Slicing Your Hand Off In An Ice Sculpting Incident
Kids make it hard to concentrate. Even when they’re not interrupting directly – which is rare – part of your mind must remain free in case your five year old strolls through carrying a power drill and says, “Oh by the way, Mum, just warning you: it’s going to be a little bit noisy in the living room for a moment.”
This happened at our house a few days ago when I was trying to figure out how to meet my looming pre-holiday work deadline. Like any responsible parent, I responded by showing him how to use handheld power tools to create ice sculptures on the floor in front of the couch, then switched the TV on so I could safely ignore him in favour of finishing the stuff I should have finished the previous night except I was too busy commenting on other people’s blogs.
I also suggested the use of a sharp knife.
The screen-induced tranquility was so intoxicating that a full thirty minutes passed before I looked up and realised they were watching Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea in Japanese, with subtitles, and loving it. I can see how the feature would appeal to them:
Fan art by Crackabad.
Pretend the flower is a bucket and that T is looking at P in wonder and delight instead of trying to work out whether he’s about to harm her.
…and my only regret is we didn’t leave ourselves enough time to Ghibli it up properly before the trip. Especially since they’ve begged for Ponyo daily, and it’s taught them at least one word in Japanese (“arigato” – almost as useful to us as “terribly sorry“). Then again, I might get a second chance at the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo.
But don’t let me convince you of the virtues of Miyazaki’s films for kids. GeekDad Rewind (Wired) can talk for paragraphs about the guy’s laudable female role models, and you might also consider if any studio with a related wiki can possibly be un-awesome. I suspect not.
Meanwhile, if I’m slow to responding to your comments, it’s probably because I’m checking out this DVD guide to family art-house entertainment and wondering how I can get someone to organise an open-air children’s art-house film festival in Singapore, and not, for example, getting my work done before deadline.
Update: Thanks to all who recommended My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service. Kiki provided a great female role model, and (as you can see) the kids were quite taken with My Neighbour Totoro:
The post Miyazaki For Kids appeared first at Journeys of the Fabulist and was shared as part of the Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop #15.
You are too funny! Thanks for the recommendations – we definitely need some new viewing material! My son tends to get in a rut of watching his favorite shows, so I’d love to get him to watch something new. Thanks!
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I really can’t recommend these films enough. They have watched the three I’ve mentioned multiple times over, with the Japanese soundtrack and English subtitles – that’s got to be some kind of genius.
My son’s reading seems to have come along as he tries to read the subtitles quickly as well.
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Yes, the museum is heavily recommended for kids or adults who can appreciate it.
No. 1 Miyazaki film for kids is obviously Totoro.
He should be old enough for an adventure film (by nature I detest any dubs, as anyone who is bilingual or above can attest, but I couldn’t find a good Japanese trailer with subs)
Laputa:
For girls:
Kiki’s Delivery Service:
Which is getting a Live Action version!
Kamikakushi and Nausicaa would probably be for 8 – 10yrs old and 12 -14 yrs old.
It’s obviously what I would recommend for adults, since it’s my fav. Miyazaki film, Porco Rosso:
Have fun!
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You are my go-to person for Japanese and Chinese pop culture now you know 🙂 .
We got out Porco Rosso at the same time and I loved it and I thought hey, planes, what’s not for a kid to like? But it just isn’t aimed at them, is it? P liked the scenes with planes but would have fast forwarded through everything else and as a whole it just couldn’t sustain his attention. I think we’ll have to hunt down the ones you recommend when we get back – they seem to like the animation style a lot.
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lol, speaking the language helps, and of course, I have an interest in this kind of stuff as well. 🙂
I love Porco Rosso, especially since I watched it in theatres when it came out. There has always been talks of a live action adaption, but that’s the beauty of animation, because a live version would have an enormous budget. And, back then, they didn’t have the proper technology to do Porco’s face without forcing the guy into some ugly mask. Imagination can certainly run a lot freer without constraints of reality. Some say this film is an autobiographical work of Miyazaki. At 100% Tomatometer, it’s the highest I’ve seen.
Full song – Le temps des cerises by Tokiko Kato:
And ending theme, Toki Ni Wa (Let’s reminisce about the old days once a while), arranged by the always, always fabulous Yoko Kanno:
I find it interesting that this is one animation film the foreign studios took seriously. Michael Keaton did Porco for the English version and Jean Reno did it for the French version. Of course, Disney can afford it. Voice acting is treated so differently in Japan though.
As the parent, you can decide if KamiKakushi is too scary or complicated for them (I think 8 – 10 is good, unless he doesn’t like heroines) :
Of course, Sen to Chihiro no KamiKakushi won best animated feature in 2002 Oscars and made millions despite contemptuous treatment by Disney. Kamikakushi and Totoro both made it to the top 50 films one should see before he/she is 14.
Ciao’.
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Who keeps this list? What else is in the top 50?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFI_list_of_the_50_films_you_should_see_by_the_age_of_14
I’ve been so busy lately to check wordpress, sorry for the delay. As with all the different “lists”, some people agree with it, some don’t. Personally, I haven’t even heard of some of the movies on the list even as an adult. Some movies felt like “it’s good for you” kind of choice. A lot of films on the list seem like they are meant for 10 + yrs old, or even 12. I am not sure if a younger child would get it (which isn’t THAT important in the scheme of things) but whether or not they are suitable for him is up to you. The worst part is that unless the 14 and under child this list has in mind is multilingual, he or she won’t be able to watch some of the films. Otherwise, he needs to be good enough to read subs or suffer the dubs.
Another random thought just popped to my head, would most of these “well meaning” choices even hold a 10 – 14 yrs old these days for 2+ hours? I personally loved “Nightmare Before Christmas”, because it’s awesome. It’s not on the list though. And even if it was meant as a “children” film, I doubt it would hold some of the modern kids long enough to watch it.
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Ok, just getting back to this – going to rent a couple more of those films!
Love the list. So glad to see Singing In The Rain there – one of my favourites. And it is a nicely-rounded selection in many ways, although I see what you mean about the cinematic spinach.
As for interest… hard to know. I always think a really good story is timeless (I loved watching the golden age Hollywood films as a child) but opinions do change to a certain extent about what makes a “really good story”.
But Singing In The Rain should be ok for the ages 🙂 .
Nightmare Before Christmas is also very deserving, despite its absence from the top 50.
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Do you know Miyazaki new film is going to be out on cinemas? Heard to be the last of his films. Gonna catch it! We love Ponyo and yes, Totoro! The songs are amazingly catchy and each film has an underlying meaning too… usually reflecting Japan’s life. You are good in training your kids for the trip. Learning some basic phrases is useful though many Japanese know English nowadays. It’s tougher for tourists though as most signboards are in Jap, well at least 10 years ago it was this way!
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Yes! I can’t wait. Although I’m not sure it’s going to be suitable for very young kids like Ponyo or Totoro. I’m sure us parents will have to try hard to see it, though. If you see it first, let us know how you like it. (Can you remember exactly when it comes out?)
I’m sure we’ll be bumbling through with the signposts. I’d love to have a cyborg brain where I could just load in a Japanese language module and good to go!
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If my bad memory is not working, them it should be the sch hols in March. Nowadays that’s Google translation, it’s easy but you will need a data card for roaming around.
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I guess so – although we need google translate to come with something that reads characters off signs. There should be an app for that! (Is there an app for that?)
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Haha! Like a scan bar code app? Hopefully very soon!
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Yes! That would be awesome! I assume they’re already working on it somewhere 🙂 .
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https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/word-lens/id383463868?mt=8
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Wow! This is awesome! Thanks! B will have an easier time now 🙂
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This is awesome, but also a bit frustrating from my angle, because they have (for example) French to English, so you can accurately translate words like “restaurant” “cinema” and “abattoir” (it comes up) but not, for example, Japanese or Chinese, which have completely foreign character sets (although, high five for the Russian-English pack).
It does look like an excellent start though and I’ll have to keep my eye out for new developments along the same theme.
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OK, I’m sorry, but Ponyo is the weirdest movie I have had inflicted upon me by my children – I don’t know if there is more than one but the scene I remember was a bunch of elderly citizens swept into a bubble-community by a tsunami. Or was it just a bad dream?
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That’s the one! You didn’t like that? But the elixirs cured them of their wheelchair dependencies!
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I don’t know…it was all a little surreal for me. And creepy.
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Well, I wouldn’t watch pretty much most of his other films, if I were you. (You may have come to this conclusion already.) Surreal is definitely a theme. Creepy is probably more in the eye of the beholder 🙂 .
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Yes, I am skipping the rest of his repertoire. One strange human-to-fish type transition is enough for me.
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Not that he always uses the fish-human thing 🙂
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Deadlines schmedlines, Ponyo looks way more fun!
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Definitely. Can’t fail!
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Very interesting. I don’t think any of our television stations show Ponyo, though I could be wrong. I’ll have to look at it with my daughter and see what she thinks.
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Check it out (maybe in English) – it seems to be popular with others’ kids, too, from the comments. The English version is under Disney. It’s been described as a different/modern take on The Little Mermaid.
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There always seems to be so much going on at your place…I need your energy! I love power tools
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I’m glad I gave you that impression through a post which described me plopping my kids down in front of the TV for over an hour. 🙂
I will release my secret, though: I outsource as much of my housework as I can. This frees me up for lessons on how to drill ice. (I basically spend what I earn on not doing housework which some people think is nuts but I really would rather be doing almost any other kind of work.)
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Now I know the secret! I think I will do the same when I am working again…I hate it (housework). I was thinking more along the power tools and ice sculpturing though 🙂
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Oh! Right. Well it was quicker than arguing over the power tools, so there again…
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I adore Miyazaki films! I was just drawing pictures of the cat bus from Totoro with my daughter over the weekend. So charming and fantastic!
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Another vote for Totoro! It is firmly on the list now.
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Also, so glad you mentioned about needing to buy tickets to the Ghibli museum in advance! I would not have even thought to check…
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Yes, advance reservation only! I haven’t been game to look into how quickly they sell out.
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Chad and I both love studio Ghibli! Z is currently hooked on Ponyo and Totoro (in English at this point though). She always says she is Ponyo when she eats ham. We are considering going to the Ghibli museum when we are in Tokyo, but I guess you need a person in Japan to buy the tickets up to 30 days ahead of time. 😦
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Yeah, I would have shown them the English version – I didn’t realise the DVD came with Japanese soundtrack only and that the language selection was for the subtitles!
It does look a bit tricky to get Ghibli Museum tickets (at the link it describes ways to buy them outside Japan but through selected travel agents by the looks) so I’ve got a bad feeling we might miss out, too. I guess we’ll see.
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I’m hoping for an invite to your open-air children’s art-house film festival. Sounds like a fab plan and so much more fun than working! X
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If that ever happens, it’ll have to be open invite! They’ve got such a great list of film suggestions – I couldn’t possibly keep it to myself. 🙂
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This makes me realize that my kids are not challenged enough; I mean power tools and Japanese cartoons way more awesome than ‘Kipper’ ( very cute but needs to grow some) and crayons as eye piercing spades 🙂 so excited about your next trip, it is my dream destination.
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You should probably buy them a circular saw, or a power sander. There’s a good chance your house would be less noisy after they’d each had a turn with it.
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Lol
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Power tools – what a great idea!!
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Yes, I can’t remember where he picked up the idea of ice sculpting with power tools. I think it was an educational source. They probably should have seen that one coming.
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Kids with power tools would also make an excellent TV show 🙂 Quentin Tarantino could direct 🙂
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Yes! True! I’ll have to get hold of his phone number.
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Let me know when you figure out how you can get somebody else to organise the film festival. We could use that person too 😉 pretty cool that kids don’t mind watching in other languages and even pick up words just like that. Keep it going and you’ll have an interpreter by the time of your trip!
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I wouldn’t say they’re happy to watch just anything in another language – I think Ponyo was just that visually compelling. A testament to the artist.
I’ll bottle up any film-festival genies I find and send them your way (after I’ve finished with them).
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Bronwyn the title of your post is fantastic! Oh my goodness you are so funny. Power tools for the kids I say. As far as commenting on other people’s blogs and missing your deadlines…well know that I appreciate your sacrifice a great deal. 🙂
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Then it’s all worth it :). Also, I like your posts!
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Glad to hear that Bronwyn. 🙂
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Oh, I want to go watch Ponyo now! We went through of phase watching it over and over when my older one was 4. I haven’t seen it, but a friend also highly recommends My Neighbor Totoro. My son has seen it several times at their house and loves it.
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I wish we could hunt down My Neighbour Totoro in time before we leave (but I don’t think so). For sure when we come back.
You should definitely go and watch Ponyo immediately, though. DROP EVERYTHING!
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hahaha…technically I am laughing at your expense!! And, I am hoping/guessing you will take it as a compliment! 😀
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Oh, you’re going to tell me you also used to like to play with power tools when you were a boy? 🙂
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hmmm…ok..here’s what i will do..i will post something in the near future, based on my childhood (mis)adventures..which at that time…positively helped grey some of my mom’s hair, prematurely! 😛
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Ok! I will look out for it!
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